All Netflix wants for Christmas is a smooth streaming experience for NFL fans. The streaming giant is about to take its biggest live sporting event leap when it airs two games for the first time on Christmas Day.
Netflix and the NFL signed a three-year contract worth a reported $150 million. That means plenty of toys will be under the tree during the hours-long stream.
For instance, the day will begin with a pregame show featuring a performance by Mariah Carey. She plans on singing her holiday hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
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Then, the main events. The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers will kick off at 1 pm EST. That will be followed by the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans at 4:30 pm EST.
Incidentally, the teams were reversed on Saturday, Dec. 21, with the Chiefs beating the Texans and the Ravens downing the Steelers.
Same teams. Different matchups. 🎄
— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024
See you on Christmas Day for a @netflix doubleheader! #NFLonNetflix pic.twitter.com/TLshUTPZeY
During the second game’s halftime show, Houston native, Beyoncé, will perform parts of her “Cowboy Carter” album live for the first time.
The day’s star-studded lineup is on track to bring in more than 30 million viewers.
The NFL showcase comes after buffering issues impacted November’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. Netflix called it the “most streamed sporting event ever,” with 65 million viewers at its peak.
To ensure things go smoothly during the Christmas event, Netflix has enlisted the help and expertise of established NFL partners such as CBS and Fox Sports.
In a statement, the NFL’s Vice President of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder said, “We’re very comfortable, we’re very confident, we’re very excited about all the work that Netflix is going to do and has done to make sure we’re in a very strong position to have a very successful Christmas day experience.”
Nielsen will monitor the ratings for the two games, which was not the case for Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. As a result, there will be an accurate count of viewership and streaming numbers by the hour. If, as expected, the day-long event breaks streaming records, it could be a game-changer for NFL fans and their viewing options.
NETFLIX IS ABOUT TO TAKE THEIR BIGGEST LEAP YET WHEN IT COMES TO SHOWCASING MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS. ON CHRISTMAS DAY THE STREAMING GIANT WILL BE *THE DESTINATION FOR NFL FANS WHEN THEY AIR GAMES FOR THE FIRST TIME.
NETFLIX IS PLANNING LOTS OF TOYS UNDER THE TREE. THEY’LL BEGIN THE DAYS WITH WITH A PREGAME SHOW AND A PERFORMANCE FROM MARIAH CAREY SIGNING HER HIT “ ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU”
THE CHIEFS AND STEELERS WILL KICK OFF AT 1PM EASTERN TIME FOLLOWED BY THE RAVENS AND TEXANS AT 430 EASTERN.
DURING HALFTIME OF THE RAVENS TEXANS GAME BEYONCE WILL PERFORM PARTS OF HER “COWBOY CARTER” ALBUM LIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THAT IS A STAR STUDDED LINEUP IN EVERY SENSE AND ALL NETFLIX WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS IS A SMOOTH STREAMING EXPERIENCE FOR FANS.
THE NFL SHOWCASE COMES AFTER THE JAKE PAUL/MIKE TYSON FIGHT IN NOVEMBER WAS RIDDLED WITH BUFFERING ISSUES.
NETFLIX HAS CALLED IT THE “MOST STREAMED SPORTING EVENT EVER” WITH 65 MILLION VIEWERS AT IT’S PEAK.
FOR THIS EVENT THEY WILL BE USING ALREADY ESTABLISHED NFL PARTNERS LIKE CBS AND FOX SPORTS TO HELP THINGS GO SMOOTHLY
IN A STATEMENT THE NFL‘S VP OF MEDIA DISTRIBUTION HANS SCHROEDER SAYS, “ WE’RE VERY COMFORTABLE, WE’RE VERY CONFIDENT, WE’RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT NETFLIX IS GOING TO DO AND HAS DONE TO MAKE SURE WE’RE IN A VERY STRONG POSITION TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL CHRISTMAS DAY EXPERIENCE.”
NETFLIX’S CHRISTMAS DAY CONTRACT WITH THE LEAGUE IS FOR THREE YEARS AND $150 MILLION.
THE RATINGS FOR THE TWO GAMES WILL BE MONITORED BY NIELSEN WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE FOR JAKE PAUL/MIKE TYSON FIGHT. IF IT GOES OFF WITHOUT A HITCH IT COULD BE A GAME CHANGER FOR NFL FANS AND THEIR VIEWING OPTIONS DOWN THE ROAD.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS
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